A Fork In The Road
by Demon Child Leelian
Summary: In the middle of the finale, before Katara tells Azula that Zuko is there. Zuko and Iroh will be at the tea house longer than in the finale. Iroh hires someone to help him and Zuko make tea. Iroh hires a girl and Zuko hates it.
1. Beginning

A. N. The teahouse (the Jasmine Dragon) will be open for more than just a day and it obviously happens during the season finale, before Katara runs off and tells Suki who was actually Azula. Iroh (now known as Mushi) says that he needs another person to help him make the tea and he ends up hiring a girl. Zuko (Lei) is not happy). It took me a little bit longer to find the right names for some of the characters.

Warning: There will be the occasional swear, like damn, hell, ahole, and bloody. There will also be some occasional spoilers, maybe in "A Fork In The Road."

Disclaimer: I own Avatar: The Last Airbender as much as I own Nickelodeon, I don't.

Zuko is called Lei and Iroh is called Mushi.

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It had been a week since the Jasmine Dragon teahouse had opened and it seemed like more and more people were coming to enjoy the wonderful tea. It was hard to keep up with all the orders, especially since they made the tea and others served it. But life was pretty good and stable for Zuko; he could even enjoy making his uncle happy with some very difficult things, like smiling a little for the customers. That was until his uncle's new bright idea.

Zuko's P.O.V.

"Nephew, I have a great idea! It will help us in the teahouse." Iroh (also known as Mushi) said. "I'm confident that you'll love it."

_Great. Another idea that Uncle thinks I'll love. What is it this time, tea flavored candy?_

"What is it this time Uncle?" Zuko (also known as Lei) asked, bored with the topic.

"We need to hire someone to help us make more tea. That way, we can expand and try more flavors and varieties." Iroh replied excitedly.

_What? We don't need anyone else to help us out here!_

"I don't think we need anyone to help us. They would just get in the way." Zuko irately replied.

"I've even talked to the nice men that helped us with the Jasmine Dragon and they think it's a great idea. They have even picked someone out for us. They will bring that person right over in two days. Isn't it wonderful!" Iroh replied happily.

"You what!" Zuko yelled. _How could he do this? With everything that's happened. With our lives on the line. He could have at least told me ahead of time before whoever shows up, not just two freaking days. _

"That's right." Iroh said.

"What if they figure out who we are?" Zuko said, not as loud as he was the first time, but could probably awaken the neighbors.

"Don't worry. They wouldn't find out if we're careful." Iroh said.

"Fine. But don't expect me to be nice to this person, whoever they are." Zuko replied, angry.

"Good. It's settled. I just can't wait to meet them." Iroh said happily, having won the argument.

Zuko just mumbled, "I can."

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A.N. I know it's a short chapter, but it's the beginning so the chapters should be longer. Next chapter should be up real soon. R&R.


	2. The Helper

A.N. The name Amarante means flower that never fades. I just finished the videogame and the ends sucks. It doesn't last long enough. Plus, who would just want to destroy machines and kill Lian, the Maker? BORING! You only see Zuko just a handful of times. It wasn't event ten chapters! My sister and I are planning to take over Nickelodeon and we could use some help. Anyone interested? Enjoy the chapter! (I've raised ten pigs in Maine of the United States of America.)

Disclaimer: The only thing I'll ever own close to Avatar the Last Airbender is the videogame in my Xbox and the DVDs when I get them (and maybe the playing cards if I am too obsessed).

Interesting little bit of info is that the name Lei in Chinese means flower bud and it is a girl's name, but in the show, Zuko is called Lei. Zuko is a pretty flower bud! Also, Lian means the graceful willow and Jun (remember Iroh had a school boy crush on her) means obedient and truthful.

((I had to change the name of the girl. It's no longer Amarante, but Kaiya (also Japanese) which means you'll find out what it means and why later, unless you decide to be a smart but and search it up and then I'll be mad.))

IMPORTANT! Zuko may have had the fever but still is kind of grumpy and tough. He is confused still so he isn't completely cheery or happy. He's just accepted life and doesn't go after the avatar.

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It was the morning of the first day that Zuko was going to have to deal with his uncle's new "assistant" working along besides them. It was an understatement to say that he was not happy about it. But Iroh was ecstatic.

"To think, my nephew that you will interact with other people again! Oh this is wonderful! You will love who I picked out!" Iroh said happier than a pig in mud.

"What do you mean 'picked out'? I think you would find out today!" Zuko said, not pleased to say the least.

"Why I went and pick them out while I was restocking on tea." Iroh innocently replied.

Zuko just grumbled, "That's why it took you so long."

Time Gap of about two or so hours 

It was before the Jasmine Dragon open up for the morning when two figures Zuko could blame all his unpleasantness on. One of them held back while the other came up to Iroh and spoke to him quickly so Zuko couldn't hear his words. Iroh nodded and the other man came with a cloaked figure that looked to be about his age and, knowing his uncle Iroh, it was probably a female. He seriously needed to have a talk with his uncle about this later.

"She is here, right on time, like you asked." The first one said.

"Can you please hurry it up? Any on lookers is going to think this is some hostage exchange or something. I hope not anyway." This seemed to come out of the cloaked figure's mouth. "And can I please take of the cloak? It's too hot to wear it right now, especially in a building."

"Might as well take it off." Sigh. "Lei, meet my sister's daughter who will now assist your uncle so you can have less work and more time to yourself, like your uncle said you needed." The first one said.

Zuko's only reply was to give his uncle a glare. His uncle just gave him an innocent look and started making small talk with both of them. He turned back to the girl who looked to be sixteen with brown hair and bronze colored eyes and, would he have actually really been paying attention, he would have seen a pretty girl with bright, intelligent eyes, but of course he didn't see. But he did see that he and the girl were the only ones not included in conversation, whether it was intentional or not.

_Great. Uncle thinks he's going to get me to talk to a teenage girl. Well, he can shove it up his -_

Zuko's thought were interrupted by the girl speaking. "I think they're going to be there forever taking until you close tonight if we don't get them back on the task at hand." She paused and looked as though she forgot something and then said, "By the way, my name is Kaiya and like the guy over there said, I will be assisting your uncle by making tea, buying tea supplies, etc. so you don't have to. And your name is Lei. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's all that your uncle told me."

"That's correct." Zuko replied, looking at his uncle and the two men, wishing they would hurry up so he could go and not be disturbed until the teahouse opened. They finally stopped talking and his uncle came over. "You can direct any questions to my uncle. And here he comes now."

His uncle gave him a disappointed look before talking to Kaiya about want she is to do and how he'll help her if she doesn't know what to do and etc. Zuko just took this moment while they were both busy to size her up and judge her and found she was a few inches shorter than he was, pale, had some kind of tiny mark underneath her left eye (probably a birthmark), and didn't look much like a threat to anything, except his sanity.

After Closing

He and Kaiya hadn't spoke since then and the day passed like the ones before, except that he had more time to think

"So Zuko, how do you like our new helper? I saw you talking with Kaiya before we opened. It was your first conversation with a girl who wasn't trying to capture you in a long time." Iroh said with a gleam in his eye.

"That's because she wanted to make sure that I knew what was going on, like she thought you weren't going to tell me or left something out." Zuko retorted.

"So how was your conversation with Kaiya?" Iroh said, still smiling.

"If you will leave this alone, I said just TWO words before you came and you heard what came after. So you're going to drop the subject and not get any ideas. And before you say anything else, I have no need, no WANT to talk to that girl, she's YOUR problem, NOT mine." And with Zuko having said that, went to his room and tried to meditate, leaving his uncle with a disappointed but determined look.

After Zuko left, Iroh said, "I will not let my nephew destroy himself."

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A.N. Hope you enjoyed the short chapter! Anyone who has a Gaia Online account can pm me, angelicdemon333 and we can talk and set up plans to talk over Nickelodeon or just hang out with other fans. Next chapter should be up!

Reason for bronze colored eyes will be explained later. I've never actually seen someone with amber or gold eyes, so in Avatar, some things are more likely (just not pink or violet colored eyes).

I found out that my name means light-footed for females and loving for males in English/Scottish/Welsh so I am now light-footed, I guess.


	3. Tea Buying Time

A.N. I'd like to thank Sorrin.R.P and zukoxhottie for reviewing. When I get more chapters made, I might be selfish and wait until a certain amount of reviews, but I'm not that cruel. I will try to update as soon as possible. I get the most success with chapters when I write them late at night when I am tired and hyper at the same time. Like I am now. It's not a good combo. Not an idea for someone who wants to stay sane or on their parent's good side. Here's the second chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender no matter how hard I dream.

The Aang Gaang: Why aren't we in the story?

Zuko: 'Cause you're not special like I am.

Sokka: You're special all right, but not in a good way.

Zuko: If you don't shut up, I burn you to a crisp and you'll be Sokka bacon.

Me: Shut your traps, especially you two Sokka and Zuko. I'll put the Aang Gaang in soon enough. Until then, don't kill each other or I'll post those embarrassing pictures of you two playing "fairy princess" together.

Everyone else: O.o

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Tea Buying Time

It had been a couple of days since Kaiya came to helpout. And Zuko was sick of it.

It was morning, before all the customers came and before the teahouse opened. Zuko had completely avoided Kaiya up until then, and to his good luck, that was easy since she avoided him as well. The only words spoken between them were on that first day when she came. They hadn't spoken since. It's not as if she really needed to speak to him, Iroh (Mushi to her) had all the answers, not that she needed more then once. She learned quickly and didn't need help. This left some free time for Iroh and Zuko, not that Iroh needed it and Zuko didn't want it. But it was still silent. The most conversation he could get was from the customers. Maybe even a couple of words from Kaiya, but his nephew stayed silent. He couldn't have his nephew undo what he's done for him, so he was going to do something about.

Iroh's P.O.V.

_Damn teenagers! I swear get more stubborn as the days go by. Well, I am going to do something about it. _Iroh thought for a bit then grinned mischievously_. I've got the perfect plan._

Iroh grinned even more mischievously as he _"accidentally"_ dropped the tea leaves and anything to flavor it with all over the muddy floor while Zuko was out of the room, doing nothing but staring in space. A little while later, Kaiya showed up. Iroh had plenty of time before the teahouse opened to put his plan into action. (The teahouse opens at like nine in the morning and it's only six thirty.)

"Mushi, did you know that all your tea and stuff is all over the muddy floor?" Kaiya said. Iroh just pretended to looked shocked. After all, who would even think in their right mind that he would sacrifice his precious TEA for two stubborn teenagers.

"Well then, I guess we need to get some more. While we're at it, we can get some more flavors or choices to sell." Iroh replied after he seemed to have regained his composer.

"'We'? Who the hell is 'we'?" Zuko questioned while quite angry that he got pulled into it.

"'We' as in you and Kaiya." Iroh replied. Kaiya just looked at him while Zuko (Kaiya knows him as Lei) glared at his uncle. "After all, it is part of Kaiya's job to get tea leaves."

"And I have to go why and you stay here?" Zuko was getting pretty mad about this whole thing all over stupid tea leaves, but he was working in a teahouse after all and it was owned by his uncle who was tea obsessed. Sometimes he wondered what he did to deserve this kind of torture.

"Why, my old, achy bones don't feel up to it and I need you to have a say in the tea." Iroh said innocently. Zuko saw it is on of those things that you just can't win no matter how hard you try. So he signed and mumbled fine.

_Come on Kaiya. Just go with him to buy the tea. Please make my plan work. Come on! _Iroh silently urged her on. His plan was at a precious stage, it might be his only chance. And finally, to his luck, she said, "Fine. I'll go if you give me a list of what you need us to pick up and the money to buy."

_Yes! Stage One, complete! _Iroh silently cheered and gave her a list and a bag of coins. "Don't forget to come back with three new flavors." And with that, Iroh shoved them out the door.

Once they had left and were out of hearing range, Iroh couldn't bare it any longer and cheered some more, only this time out loud. Then he happily went back to cleaning up the mess that he made and dug out his big stash of tea supplies that he was going to used when he opened the teahouse for the day. He seriously doubted that they would come back with tea to replace what he destroyed, especially new tea. That wasn't at all part of his plan, though, as he though to him self, it is a nice reward. The whole idea was to force them to interact with each other, whether they liked it or not. And, as another bonus, he wasn't stuck dealing with the awkward silence between the two.

Zuko's P.O.V.

They were silent for most of the way to the market, or whatever part of the market was awake this early at seven in the morning. Zuko was thinking of a way to get back at his uncle and Kaiya was being a good little helper and thinking of the fast route through the market and where to buy the tea. When they had come to the market, he noticed that Kaiya was going a different way and she didn't seem to notice. Zuko was in charge of this mission, at least in his own mind. Kaiya was already pretty far away and absorbed in the list Iroh had given her. Zuko thought that she probably had it memorized by now.

"Hey, you! Where do you think you're going?" Zuko shouted at her while going in her direction. He got no response from Kaiya who just kept walking. Zuko had to shout again. _Damn girl!_ _If she doesn't answer, I'm going to drag her the rest of the way._ "I said, where do you think you're going?" Zuko had yelled louder and now the market place was filling up with lots of vendors and early customers.

Kaiya had looked around before stopping to look at him and say, "Oh. You're actually talking to me."

As Zuko caught up with her, he ignored the comment and said, "Yes I'm talking to you. Where the hell do you think you're going?"

Kaiya looked at him like he had grown another head until she finally answered, "I'm taking a shortcut through the market and am on the way to a place to buy what's on this list. Why, do you have something better?" She looked at him like she doubted he did. Which he really didn't. Taking his silence as a no, she said, "I guess not. Well then, follow me." And with that, she walked off, leaving him to decide whether to follow her or find his way on his own. He chose to follow her.

Kaiya had arrived at a big vendor and was talking while Zuko caught up. "I think that's about it except for the white tea and our choices. That was pretty fast, I think. We can go to any vendor to look at new flavors. I guess we have the time." And then she took off around the corner, searching for the white tea. Zuko had to catch up with her, _again_ and was getting more than just a little annoyed.

"What kind of white tea does he want?" She asked, oblivious to his anger. Zuko was starting to think that maybe Kaiya wasn't as sane as she should be. "Well?"

"I don't know. Try for some Sow Me." Zuko replied irritably. Then Kaiya turned to talk to the shopkeeper. _She is definitely going to be a pain to deal with if I'm stuck with her every day. And why am I stuck on this shopping trip if I'm not needed?_

Kaiya turned around and said, "Seeming how we have plenty of time left before we need to get back, might as well look at new choices for you and your uncle's teahouse. That's why shopping for what was on the list was fast, more time to choose." And after a few seconds, she added, "I don't like to waste time."

_Great, she rushes everything_. Zuko walked a couple carts down pretending to look at tea when he heard someone coming very, VERY close to him.

"Hi Lei!" Zuko whipped his head around to find Jin, the girl his uncle forced him to go on a date with. It ended with him getting a peck on the lips, ever he who never had a kiss before could say that it wasn't a kiss. _What is she doing here? Is she freaking stalking me?_

"I heard about your uncle getting his very own teahouse. Isn't that great? You must be so happy! You deserve it. By the way, I like our date. Got any plans tonight?" There was definitely something different about her. Either she was acting that way on purpose or she normally acted this way, which in that case, he never wanted to see her again. He wasn't so sure he liked their date and would go on another one so soon, at least not with her.

"I have plans tonight to help my uncle with uh… tea stuff, like now." Zuko lied to her. He didn't have to help his uncle tonight, not that she needed to know that.

Jin looked disappointed, but continued on, "Well, how about another night? Like tomorrow night?"

Zuko was now getting really annoyed. All Zuko said was, "I am very busy with stuff!" and then walked off, weaving in and out of the vendors and carts a couple dozen times incase Jin followed him and set off to find Kaiya who _conveniently_ ditched him when Jin showed up. He decided that the only thing he was going to say to her was when he was wringing her freaking neck out for everything. He finally found her _again,_ with a bored expression.

"Oh, you're back. Did you find anything at all?" She said bored.

Zuko glared at her and then replied rather haughty, "Yes I did, and also was cased by an annoying girl who is stalking me!"

Kaiya just laughed at him. "It is not funny! And where were you?!" Zuko said.

"I was getting away from the biggest floozy in this part of Ba Sing Sa. I've got the other teas so if you're done playing hind and seek with your girlfriend, we should really get back to the shop." Kaiya replied.

Zuko only growled in reply, and then answered, "Let's go."

Closing Time Later That Same Day

Iroh was glad to be free of those teens, but nothing of importance happened during that trip, except Zuko was glaring Kaiya and Iroh for the rest of that day. He hadn't really had time to talk to his nephew about and all Kaiya said was that it was boring. His plan had worked out quite like it was supposed to, but he expected some minor difficulties. He was still working on the rest of his plan when Kaiya left and after Zuko went to bed.

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Sow Me: is a famous white tea. Only young buds are picked, steamed and dried to produce this tea - it makes light golden liquor. From China.

A.N. This chapter didn't come out quite as I expected it to. I did a section from Iroh's P.O.V. for a reason. You never really see it from his sight or point of view. And before I forget, I'll have a chapter or two about Aang and Gang very, very soon. Another sorry for those who think that they fought, they actually haven't spoken since the second chapter and couldn't find a better word than awkward.

Hope you liked the surprise! The girl Zuko barely pecked on the lips twice (not kissed), Jin, will appear again and you'll get a chance to see from her view MAYBE. I'll be showing the story from totally different views for a change.


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